Overview of organisations and their role

The Secretary of State for Health

The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the work of the Department of Health (DH). DH provides strategic leadership for public health, the NHS and social care in England.

The Department of Health

The Department of Health (DH) is responsible for strategic leadership and funding for both health and social care in England. The DH is a ministerial department, supported by 23 agencies and public bodies. For detailed information, visit the DH website.

NHS England

NHS England is an independent body, at arm’s length to the government. It's main role is to improve health outcomes for people in England. It:

provides national leadership for improving outcomes and driving up the quality of care

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)

Clinical commissioning groups replaced primary care trusts (PCTs) on April 1 2013. CCGs are clinically led statutory NHS bodies responsible for the planning and commissioning of healthcare services for their local area. CCGs members include GPs and other clinicians such as nurses and consultants. They are responsible for about 60% of the NHS budget and commission most secondary care services such as:

Health and wellbeing boards

Every "upper tier" local authority has established a health and wellbeing board to act as a forum for local commissioners across the NHS, social care, public health and other services. The boards are intended to:

Monitor

Monitor expanded its role to regulate all providers of health and adult social care services. Monitor aims to promote competition, regulate prices and ensure the continuity of services for NHS foundation trusts.

Under the new system, most NHS providers will need to be registered with both the CQC and Monitor to be able to legally provide services.

Note: all service providers are required to hold a licence issued jointly by the CQC and Monitor. To get a licence, providers will need to meet essential standards of quality and safety. They’ll also have to follow certain behaviours relating to price setting, integrated care and competition. More importantly, providers will have to ensure services don't stop in the event of financial difficulties. If a provider does not fulfil the terms and conditions of the licence, both Monitor and CQC can take independent action, such as issuing warning notices or financial penalties.

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is a new organisation and functions as an independent consumer champion, gathering and representing the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

It operates both at a national and local level and ensures the views of the public and people who use services are taken into account.

Locally, Healthwatch will give patients and communities a voice in decisions that affect them, reporting their views, experiences and concerns to Healthwatch England. Healthwatch England will work as part of the CQC.

Other changes to the regulation system

Following the abolition of strategic health authorities (SHAs), the NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) is now responsible for overseeing the performance, management and governance of NHS Trusts, including clinical quality, and also managing their progress towards foundation trust status. The TDA has a range of powers, from appointing chairs and non-executive directors, to requiring a trust to seek external advice.